Automatic grapple



March 18, 1924. A 1,47g27'7 i A. lSHINNER AUTOMATIC GRAPPLE Filed March 10 v19.23

Patented lidar. l, w24..

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WILLIAM: A. SHNNER, OF BELLE FLENE, IOWA.

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Application iled March 10, 1923. Serial No. 624,144.

und Grapples, of whichthe followingis a specification, reference being hadrtherein tok the :fiecompanying drawing.

'llie present invention relates generally to grapples, and aims to provide a novel and i proved grapple for lifting and carrying battery jars or other objects.

Although the device is useful generally l for lifting and conveying objects for which is suited, the device is intended especially 'for use with battery jars that contain solu- Lions which are injurious to the eyes, slzin and other portions of the body, either by the contact of the solution-or liquid itself with the body, or the fumes given off encountering .the eyes or other sensitive portions of the body. ln handling these battery jars there is not only the liability of spilling the liquid, by tilting the jars or so shaking them as to cause the solution to splash out, but there is also the'possibility of the fumes affecting the eyes, throat or nostrils. Consequently, the handling of batteryjars, such as used for railroad purposes, and the like, is more or less of a precarious or risky occupation.

lt is an object of the invention to provide a grapple by means of which the battery jar or other object can be talren hold of, lifted and carried, and then deposited and released, without the hands touching the jar or object, or without th'e'body being required to approach near the jar or object while it is being manipulated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a grapple having means for autoinaiieally opening and closing it.

A further object is the provision of novel means controlled by a suspension chain or element for automatically opening and closing the grapple, in order that when the grapple is let down over the jar or object and the chain orv other suspension element then lifted, the grapplewill be automa-tieally closed, and when the jar or object is let down or deposited on a support the lifting of the chain or suspension element Vwill automatically open the grapple to lift it from the jar or object.

lhe invention also has for an Object the provision of a grapple comprising a novel construction and assemblage of the component elements, whereby the device is practical and efiicient in operation, as well as being simple and g inexpensive in construction.

, With theforegoing and other objects in view, which will beapparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement` of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can ybe made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure l is a side elevation of the grapple in open position over the jar or object.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the grapple closed to support the jar or object.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the grapple.

Fig. et is an enlarged cross section on the line 444; of Fig. 3.

ln' carrying out the invention, there is provided a ring or surrounding member 7 of a suitable size to pass loosely around the upper portion of the battery jar or other object for which the device is constructed, and said ring or member 7 has the opposite outstanding ears 8 between which the grapple levers 9 are pivoted. Said levers have the lower arms l0 extending downwardly, to be disposed at opposite sides of the jar or object, and said arms l() are offset toward one another, as at ll, below the ring 7, so that said arms can bear against the sides of the jar, as seen in Fig. 2, when the grapple is closed. The arms 10 have the hooks or supporting portions l2l extending inwardly at their lower ends, to engage under the jar. The hooks or inturned portions l2 are preferably broadened so as to support the jar or object thereon, and said portions'l2 are sharpened so as to wedge under the j ar or object between the jar and surface or support on which it is seated. The arms 10 with their hooks or portions l2 form jaws to be closed and opened for grasping and releasing the object.

rlhe levers l0 are provided above the pivots or fulcrums with the upper arms 13 and 14, respectively, extending or converging toward one another at obtuse angles relatively to the lower arms so as to overhang the ring 7 and object which the ring surrounds. The arms 13 and 14 are used for opening and closing the grapple, for which provision is made as will presently appear.

A reversing suspension lever or member 15 is provided for supporting or suspending the levers 9 therefrom and for opening and closing said levers. The lever or member 15 is of T-shape and comprises a flat plate having the downwardly-extending shank 16 extending between the acent ends of the arms 13 and 14. The adjacent ends of said arms 13 and 14 are pivoted, as at 17 and 18, respectively, to the shank 16 points spaced longitudinally of said shank 16, the pivot 18 being located at the end of the shank 1G and pivot 17 beingV located between the end of said shank and the head 19 of the lever 15. rlhe lever or member 15 can be tilted in opposite directions, by the reverse swinging movements of said lever 15, and when the lever 15 is swung beyond an intermediate position toward the arm 14, as seen in Fig. 1, the

'arms 13 and 14 are moved toward one another by the action of the lever 15, thereby separating the jaws or lower arms 10 of the levers. V7 hen the lever 15 is swung toward the opposite side to a reversely inclined position, as seen in Fig. 2, the arms 13 and 14 are moved away from one another, thereby closing the lower arms or jaws 10 of the levers on the object. The action of the lever 15 in swinging the levers 9 to open and closed positions is therefore positive and effective, the lever 15 exerting considerable leverage on the levers 9 in either closing or opening the grapple.

The lever 15 is reversed automatically to open and close the grapple. Thus, the head 19of the lever has a slot 20l extending longitudinally thereof past the shank 16 and' close to the ends of the head 19, and said slot has upwardly extending notches 21 and 22 at the opposite extremities thereof. The suspension chain or element 23 has a ring 24 or other member at the lower end there of slidably engaging the head 19 of the lever 15 in the slot 20, whereby the lever 15 is suspended from the chain 23, while the levers 9 are suspended from the lever 15.

The ring 7, which may be of any suitable shape or size, preferably has a cushion 25 at the inner periphery tl ereof, te prevent injury to the jar or object. The cushion 25, as shown, comprises a rubber tube or hose fitted in an annular groove 27 in the inner periphery of the ring. A stiff wire 26 can be disposed in the cushion 25 to hold it seated in the groove 27.

In using the grapple, the levers 9 and 15 are arranged as seen in Fig. 1, with the aims 10 separated and the lever 15 tilted so that the notch 21 is higher up than the notch 22, the ring 24 of the chain 23 engaging in the notch 21. rlhe grapple, while in open position, can be let down over the jar or 0bject, the arms 10 passing down along the opposite sides of the object, and the ring inovlng around the riin or upper portion of the object. W hen the hooks or portie-ns come to rest on the support or surface on which the obj ect rests, the chain 23 being slacliened, will permit the ring 24 to slide down the slot 2O to the lower end of the slot, the ring 24 dropping out of the notch 21 so as to slide by gravity along the slot 29. The ring 7 surrounding the object will prevent the grapple fr ein falling down or tilting out of position, while the chain is slaclrened. The chain 23 is thus automatically shifted, while slackened, relatively to the lever 15 to bring the ring 24 under the notch l`iieii, when the chain is lifted again, the ring 24 moves upwardly into the notch 22, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and, consequently, the chain being connected to the lower end of the head 19 of the lever, will swing the lever toward its reverse position, thereby separating the arms 13 and 14 and swinging the arms 10 toward one another to bring them against the sides of the jar and to force the hooks or supporting portions 12 under the jar, the parts assuming the position seen in F ig. 2 with the grapple closed on the o1 ject. The object can now be lifted with the grapple, it being noted that the lever 15 is in a position reverse to the position shown in Fig. 1. The Object can new be carried or transported from one place to another, the object resting on the hooks or portions 2 and the ring 7 preventing the object from tilting or falling sidewise from between the levers 9. When the object is let down or deposited on a support, the grapple will remain closed, and the chain 23 being slaclrenedwill permit the ring 24 to drop out of the notch 22 and to slide down the incline slot 2G to the lower end of said slot, so that when the chain is again lifted the ring 24 will nieve into the notch 21, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby swinging the lever 15 to open the grapple, the parts assuming the position shown in Fig. 1. ln this wav the grapple is opened and closed by the sn ple slackening andlifting of the suspension chain or element, without the necessity for the hands or ,other portions of the body touching the grapple or object, so that the attendant can remain sufliciently far away from the object during the-lifting, carrying and depositing thereof, to prevent injury, this being especially desirable when battery jars and other objects containing injurious solutions, acids, and the like.

lt will be apparent from the foregoing, that when the grapple is let down in open inem?? position over an object and the suspension element is slaclrened or `moved downwardly, and then raised, the grapple will he automatically closed, and when the grapple, in closed position, is let down to deposit the ohject on a support, and the suspension elenient is slaclrened or moved downwardly, and then raised, the grapple is automatically opened. The opening and closing ot the grapple is thus accomplished automatically alternately hy the downward movement or slaclrening oi the suspension element and raising thereof, unaided and no other eilort or attention being required.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is K l. ifi. grapple comprising object holding means movable to open and closed positions igor releasing and holding an oh'ect, a sinle suspension element for said means and means operated by. the successive lifting movements ci said element for opening and closing said means.

` 2, A grapple comprising object holding means adapted to move to open and closed positions for releasing and holding an object, a single suspension element i'or said means, and ineens operatively connecting said element and means Jici' alternately opening and closing the iirst named ineans hy the successive lifting movements or said elements when said element is moved downwardly and upwardly successively.

3. A. grapple comprising object holding means adapted to move to open and closed positions for releasing and holding an ohject, a member connected to said means and movable to reversed positions for opening and closing said means, and a single suspension element inovably connected with said ineinher for reversing it from either position when said element is raised for lifting said means.

il. A grapple comprising object holding means adapted to move to open and closed positions, a member connected to said means `for opening and closing said means and having a portion to assume oppositely inclined positions in the open and closed positions of said means, and a suspension element having a sliding connection with said portion to move to the lower end thereof when said element is moved downwardly so as to move said member to its reverse position when said element is raised.

5. A grapple comprising object holding means adapted to move to open and closed positions, a tilting member operatively connected with said means for moving saine to or ,n and closed positions and having a portion assume reversed inclined positions en said means is in open and closed posisaid portion having a slot and npextending notches at the opposite ence of said slot, and a suspension element Levers for swinging the levers open and osed alternately 'oy the successive lifting C in vements of said element when said element is moved downwardly and upwardly successively.

8. il 1gra}L ple comprising grapple levers,

a member operatively' connected to said levers and movable to reversed positions tor moving said levers to open and closed positions, and a single suspension element operatively connected with said member 'lor reversing said n'ieinher trom either position to the other by the lifting movement ot said element and lifting said levers.

9. fr grapple comprising grapple levers, a ineniher connected to said levers for moving thcni open and closed and having a portion to assnine reversely inclined positions in the open and closed positions oi said levers, and a suspension element slidably connected with said portion' for reversing said ineinher when said element is raised to lift the levers.

1.0.-A grapple comprising grapple levers, a tilting member operatively connected with said levers for opening and closing said levers when said member is tilted to opposite inclined positions, said member having a portion provided with a slot to assume reversely inclined positions in the open and closed positions of said levers, said portion having upwardly extending notches at the ends ci said slot, and a suspension element slidaloly engaging in said slot to move to the lower end thereof, in either position of said member, when said element is'inoved downwardly to engage said element with the lower notch and to reverse said member when said element is raised for lifting said site portions of said member and having lower arms formed to engage the object, said levers having upper arms converging toward one another, and a suspension lever pivoted to said upper arms for swinging the aforesaid levers open and closed and for lifting aid levers. Y i

13. A grapple comprising a member to surround an object, levers pivoted to said member and having lower arms formed to engage said object, said levers having arms extending above said member, reversing means connected to said upper arms for swinging the levers open and closed, and a suspension element operatively connected to said means for reversing said means to open and close said levers.

14. A grapple comprising a member to surround an object, levers pivoted toil said member and having lower armsformed to engage the object, said levers having upper arms converging above said member, a member pivoted to the upper arms of said levers and movable to reverse inclined position for opening and closing said levers, and a suspension element operatively connected to the second named member for reversing and lifting it.

l5. A grapple comprising a member to surround an object, levers pivoted to said member and having lower arms formed to engage said object, the levers having upper arms converging above said member, a T- shaped lever having a downwardly-extend- II ing shank pivoted to said upper arms of the rst named levers for opening and closing the first named levers when the T-shaped lever is tilted in opposite directions, the head of said T-shaped lever having a slot with upwardly extending notches at the ends thereof, and a suspension element slidably engaging in said slot.

16. A grapple comprising a member to surround an object, levers pivoted to said member and having arms formed to engage f spaced points to said member, and a lever pivoted toy said converging arms for swinging the grapple levers open and closed.

i8. A grapple comprising spaced grapple levers having object holding arms and converging arnis, a member disposed between said levers, the levers being pivoted at spaced points to said member, a lever pivoted to said converging arms and adapted to tilt to reversed positionsfor opening and closing the grapple levers, and a suspension element operatively connected with the last named lever for reversing it.

ln testimony vvhereoi I hereunto alix my signature.

WILLAli/ A.. SHNNER. 

